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.TH PCAP_CREATE 3PCAP "3 January 2014"

.SH NAME

pcap_create \- create a live capture handle

.SH SYNOPSIS

.nf

.ft B

#include <pcap/pcap.h>

.ft

.LP

.nf

.ft B

char errbuf[PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE];

.ft

.LP

.ft B

pcap_t *pcap_create(const char *source, char *errbuf);

.ft

.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION

.B pcap_create()

is used to create a packet capture handle to look

at packets on the network.

.I source

is a string that specifies the network device to open; on Linux systems

with 2.2 or later kernels, a

.I source

argument of "any" or

.B NULL

can be used to capture packets from all interfaces.

.PP

The returned handle must be activated with

.B pcap_activate(3PCAP)

before packets can be captured

with it; options for the capture, such as promiscuous mode, can be set

on the handle before activating it.

.SH RETURN VALUE

.B pcap_create()

returns a

.I pcap_t *

on success and

.B NULL

on failure.

If

.B NULL

is returned,

.I errbuf

is filled in with an appropriate error message.

.I errbuf

is assumed to be able to hold at least

.B PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE

chars.

.SH SEE ALSO

pcap(3PCAP)